Device for detecting pump failure



' Filed Jan. 31, 1940 2 sheets-sheet 1 "INVENTOIL f Car/ .fa/Welk hurwr# 1 Illia ffii!! a Il Il!!! Iliff!! Illllliffrlia a il! :all: fr

ATTORNEY:

April 22, 1941.k c, A. JAHREls DEV-*ICE Fon DETEGTING um? FAILURE l f Filled Jan. 31, 1940 2 sheetsshet 2 710,4 f0.5 fac'l /o INVENTOR. 'ar/ ,4.fare/s 'BY W, la M- ATTORNEYS,

Patented pr. 22, 194i DEVICE FOR DETECTIN G PUMP FAILURE Carl A. Jahr-eis, Leonia, N. J., assignor to John L. Hutton, trading as T. Shriver & Company,

.,Hairison, N. J.

Application January 31, 1940, Serial No. 316,491 4 Claims. (Cl. 10S- 25) This invention relates to pumping mechanism, particularly to diaphragm pumps in which a exible diaphragm is reciprocated in a pump chamber by means of a suitable mechanism. Thev housing of such pumps may be regarded as divided into at least two chambers, one of which houses the mechanism for reciprocating the diaphragm, this chamber being sealed ol from the pumping chambers by means of said diaphragm.

Said pumps are well suited for pumping liquids, including acids, alkalies, electrolytes and other liquids and operate satisfactorily and indefinitely, provided there `is no deterioration of the diaphragm or other portions of the apparatus to such an extent as to permit said liquid to have access to the mechanism in the mechanism chamber.

One cause of pump failure is deterioration of the diaphragm (which may be made of vulcanized rubber) on long continued use of the same, to such an extent that the liquid being pumped is permitted access to the mechanism in the mechanlsm chamber.

It is an object of the present invention to prowill be illustrated bythe following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. l shows a side elevation partly in section of a diaphragm pump;

Fig. 2 shows diagrammatically a magnetic starter for the electric motor which drives the Pump; I

Fig. 3 shows a solenoid operated circuit breaker; l

Fig. 4 shows an enlarged view of electrical contact means within Ythe mechanism pump;

Fig. 5 shows a magnetic starter used in conjunction with a somewhat diierent form of the invention; and

Figs. 6 and '7 show an electric circuit including electrical contact means within the mechanism chamber of the pump. e

The diaphragms I2 are reciprocated by a series of concentric cylinders or rings which in turn are actuated by a corresponding group of cams or eccentrics mounted on' a cam shaft. Each cam, for example, cam I, operates a slide 2, which in turn reciprocates a projection attached to a corresponding ring or cylinder. The

arrangement of cyllndersprojectlons, slides and cams is such as to preserve the proper conguration of .themdiaphragm or the suction and discharge strokes thereof. The chamber enclosed within the diaphragm may be regarded as the mechanism chamber, which is normally sealed in an oil bath. Pump chambers 3, ll-receive liquid through suction lines 'I and 8 and discharge it through lines 5 and 6 provided with air chamber, one of which, la, is shown.

The pump is electrically driven by a motor (not shown), the operating circuit being, embodied in part in the magnetic starter shown in Fig. 2.

The power circuit including supply vlines L1, L2, L3, and motor connections T1, T2, T3 is provided with a remote controlled push button station A that manually energizes and de-energizes solenoid II. When the contacts I4, I6, 35 are closed, current flows through the circuit energizing solenoid II and closing four breakers I 0A, IIlB, IUC and IIlD. Breaker llID takes the place of contacts I4 after the circuit is completed. Opening contacts 35 manually also de-energizes the solenoid I I and opens the circuit of the motor lines T1, T2, T3. Protective circuit breakers I8 and I9 are provided, and are operated by thermal elements 20, 2 I.

In one Vform of my invention I provide. a circuit breaker comprising a bar 26 mounted on the plunger 25 of a solenoid 26. The bar 24 is in series with the circuit including the solenoid Il and the opening of contacts I6 by operation of.

` the bar 24 and plunger 25 will necessarily deenergize the solenoid II and cause breakers I 0A, IIlB, IOC and lD to open, thus stopping the operation of the pump.

To cause operation of the bar 26 and plunger 25 an auxiliary circuit is provided containing the solenoid 26. This auxiliary circuit also contains the Contact means I5 (which may be an ordinary spark plug having contacts 28 and 29) located within the mechanism chamber, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4. vNormally this auxiliary circuit is open since the contacts 26 and 29 are insulated from each other by oil. If, however, the diaphragm I2 ruptures or otherwise deteriorates to such an extent as to permit acid, alkali or other electrolyte or liquid capable of conducting an electrical current to enter the mechanism chamber, said 1iq uid or electrolyte will bridge the normally insulated contacts 28, 29. Connection will there? by be established between the contacts 28,29, thus closing the auxiliary circuit containing the solenoidv 26. The energization of solenoid 26 causes retraction of the plunger 25 and causes cluding solenoid 2B is normally open and the 1 contacts l5 are normally closed by the bar 2li operated by plunger which normally causes said closing by the action of gravity on the plunger when solenoid it is deenergized.

A somewhat different iorm is shown in Figs. 5 to 7. Here the auxiliary circuit is normally closed and the solenoid E@ is normally energized, thus retracting the plunger il?) and causing 'har 2d to close the contacts it against the torce ci' spring du. in this form the auxiliary circuit contalus contacts 32 which are normally bridged by a conductor 34, e. g. a metal of the alkali group, including sodium, potassium, etc. As long as the bath of oil in which the mechanism (in the mecha anism chamber) is submerged is dry and the liquid being pumped is adequately sealed oil from the mechanism chamber by the diaphragm, the

auxiliary circuit will be closed, the solenoid 26 energized, the solenoid i l energized and the pump will operate. Il, however, the liquid` being pumped gains access to the mechanism chamber, the sodium bridge (using sodium as an example of a substance that reacts with saidliquid) will be destroyed and contacts 32 will be bridged by the oil, thus breaking the auxiliary circuit, deenergizing solenoid 26, breaking the contacts i6 and causing the pump to stop.

Sodium has been given as an example of an electrical. conductor which ceases to function as such upon contact with a liquid which reacts with it. However all substances which are electrical conductors and react readily with liquids can be used instead of sodium and all liquids whichI react readily with said conductors can be substituted for water.

As examples o! the liquids, water, alcohols, al.. dehydes, ketone's, acids and acid anhydrides may be mentioned and as examples of the electrical conductors which may be used instead of sodium, there may be mentioned potassium, lithium, calcium, barium, etc.

i' claim:

l. In combination with an electrically driven diaphragm pump and an electrical operating cirmeans upon leakage of said pumped electrically conducting liquid from the pump chamber into said mechanism chamber.

2. In combination with an electrically driven diaphragm pump and an electrical operating cirf cuit which when closed operates the pump and when open stops operation of the pump, said Pump being adapted to pump an electrically conducting liquid and having a mechanism chamber, a pump chamber, a diaphragm, and means to operate the diaphragm, said means being contained within the mechanism chamber separat ed from the pump chamber by the diaphragm; solenoid-operated operating circuit closing means normally closing said operating circuit to cause operation of said pump; avnormally open au;; iliary circuit, a normally deenergized solenoid in said auxiliary circuit adapted upon closing there-a of to energize said .solenoid and open said operating circuit closing means; and spaced electrical contacts in said auxiliary circuit and located within said mechanism chamber and. adapted to close said auxiliary circuit, energize said solehold, open said operating circuit and stop opern ation of the pwnp, upon the bridging of said con tacts by the leakage of pumped electrically conducting liquid through said, diaphragm and into said mechanism chamber.

3. In combination with an electrically driven diaphragm pump and an electrical operating circuit, said pump being adapted to pump a liquid land having a mechanism chamber, a pump cuit which when closed operates the pump and when open stops operation of the pump, said pump being adapted to pump an'electrically conducting liquid and having a mechanism chamber, a pump chamber, a diaphragm, and means to operate the diaphragm. said means being contained within the mechanism chamber separated from the pump chamber by the diaphragm; operating circuit closing means normally closing said operating circuit to cause operation of the pump; an auxiliary electrical circuit to open said operating circuit closing means and thereby stop operation of the pump; and electrical contact means in said auxiliary electrical circuit and located within the mechanism chamber, said contact means being responsive to the contact therewithoi' said electrically conducting liquid, to open said operating circuit closing chamber, a diaphragm, andl means to operate the diaphragm, said means being contained within the mechanism chamber separated from the pump chamber by the diaphragm; solenoid-operated operating circuit closing means normally closing said operating circuit to cause operation of said pump; a normally closed auxiliary circuit, a normally energized solenoid in said auxiliary circuit adapted upon opening of said auxiliary circuit to deenergize said solenoid and open said operating Vcircuit closing means; spaced electrical contacts in said auxiliary circuit and located within said mechanism chamber and electrically conducting means normally bridging said contacts said means being adapted upon contaci with said liquid to react with said liquid, ,open the auxiliary circuit, deenergize said solenoid,

open said operating circuit and stop operation oithe pump, upon leakage of said pumped liquid through the diaphragm into the mechanism chamber.

4. In combination with an electrically driven diaphragm pump and an electrical operating circuit which when closed operates the pump and when open stops operation of the pump, said pump being adapted to pump a liquid and having a mechanism chamber, a pump chamber, a diaphragm, and means to operate the diaphragm, said means being contained within the mechanism chamber separated from the pump chamber by the diaphragm, operating cincuit closing means normally closing said operating circuit to cause operation of the pump, an auxiliary circuit to open said operating circuit closing means; and means in said auxiliary circuit and located within the mechanism chamber, said means being responsive to the contact therewith of pumped liquid, to open said operating circuit and stop operation of the pump upon leakage of said pumped liquid through the diaphragm and into the mechanism chamber.

CARL A. JAHREIS. 

